Maybe
by MusicMessenger16
Summary: Pothena, oneshot. Maybe it was their insane history; "What's your name?" "Not impressed." "You only won because Athens is a catchier name." "Fish-for-brains, or Aqua man?" Or her annoying personality, but Poseidon can't seem to figure whatever it is about him and Athena. Until maybe, he does.


A.N Haven't written Pothena in a while so here you go.

Poseidon couldn't help himself. Meetings were not his—how did they say it these days—they weren't his 'thing'. He couldn't help but feel a child-like restlessness, as if he himself had ADHD. His green eyes swept across the room somewhat curiously, briefly watching Ares mouth vile un-family friendly curse words at Hephaestus before fixating his full attention on the girl—the woman, (really, how juvenile could he get) beside him. Slim figure, perfect posture, grey eyes that held an unimaginable amount of serious concentration. Athena. Enemy. Friend. Frenemy.

What did she mean to him? Or a better question, w_hy?_

Perhaps it was that despite their differences, despite all their (mostly negative) history with each other, she meant _something. _Granted, it had not always been a pleasant _something, _but he digressed. Their strange 'thing' was like a stubborn rock that refused to leave him, even when they had fought as bitter rivals, he could always count on her to knock him down a peg or two.

Or maybe, she distracted him. After his forced departure from Sally years ago, she, unlike most things revolving in his life (hello, Amphitrite) didn't change. Poseidon had remembered Aphrodite's sudden sympathy, the (negative) change in Zeus' demeanor. But, her?

"_I hope you don't expect a gift basket from me," she began dryly, referring to a combined present from Aphrodite and her attendants. A sorry present for making him fall for a mortal, he had thought with a hint of bitterness. _

"_I wouldn't expect anything so juvenile—or dare I say, kind from you." He replied half-heartedly, uncharacteristically hollow. _

_She sighed as if dealing with a petulant child (well, dealing with Poseidon was pretty much the same thing, really) "Really? I thought you had better insults than that. Whatever it is, I advise you to quit acting like a whiny teenager—or worse, a whiny __**Ares**_**. **_The sea cannot rule itself."_

_He smiled briefly despite himself "Watch yourself Athena, people might think you actually care about me." _

_She rolled her eyes, instead scribbling numbers on a call card before giving it to him. He gives her a questioning look. _

"_Thought you might need it, considering your obvious marital issues." He snorted before responding. _

"_Thanks, but I have to donate this to the greater good; Zeus and Hera."_

Or maybe it _was _their history. Slutty gorgons and all.

Countless meetings, arguments, opinions, eons of sitting next to each other in the throne room (nobody really knew why they never bothered asking for a seating arrangement change or something. It wasn't a cute, organized little fairytale. But, it wasn't a complete bloodbath. It was twisting, confusing, internal roller coasters, mixed vibrant emotions battling for dominance.

It was "_Jealous?" "Please, I thought you had better taste than a girl more promiscuous than my darling sister—_"

_(jealousy? Pfft. She was so above that. It was irritation. Really.)_

"_You know, you only won because Athens is a catchier name than—" "what, exactly, Poseidona? Seriously, you should be happy the city isn't cursed with a name that sounds like some kind of plague."_

_(he hates it when they both know she's right)_

"_What's your name, babe?" "Not impressed." "Kidding, I knew it was you, Athena, I can tell that condescending tone anywhere." "Gee, you know me so well." "Kidding again. Your eyes give you away, you know. Even behind that mask Aphrodite forced on you." "Poseidon, there are literally four different girls I've seen so far in this ballroom, that have grey eyes." "That doesn't mean they're like yours. Yours are…different. Special." _

_(special didn't even begin to cover it)_

"_Water-boy? Really? Hermes gets some long smart-ass sounding nickname, and I get the name of that celebrity teen with the abs when he was in that movie with the fire girl?!" "First off, he was shark boy, and she was fire girl." (same thing, in his opinion) "Secondly, would you prefer fish-for-brains, or aqua man?"_

_(someday he would come up with a witty nickname for her. Unfortunately, that day didn't seem to be in a hurry to approach him.)_

"_Why are you so infuriating?"_

_(it's the unanswerable question of the centur(ies)_

"_Thank you." "I'm sorry, what did you just say?" "Shut up, I'm not saying that again." "Saying what again?" (she wonders why she even bothers with him)_

Maybe it's how their children love each other till the depths of Tartarus. Or how deep down, he needed her, just a little. Maybe she helped him, and vice versa, or because their thrones just never could move away from each other.

Poseidon couldn't help himself. He cared. (and maybe, she did too)


End file.
